the world's too big to stay in one place

Euro Tour Day 2 – Warsaw

The first blog post introducing this adventure headlined “Running Like We’re on Fire”. I stand corrected, it should have read WALKNG like we’re on fire!
We wake up, have coffee and then basically walk ALL day long every day.

This gives new meaning to the workout term Leg Day. Hello shins – stop screaming at me!

To some extent you have to plan your days out. There’s so much to see and you want to take it all in if at all possible.
Our goal day 2 was to visit the Gestapo HQ and we did.

But…they weren’t open til Wednesday so I use the term ‘visit’ loosely. Disappointed for sure. We’re history buffs and this promised to be an interesting tour. Visually appealing? Probably not, but the world isn’t all unicorns and rainbows right?

Here’s what happens when there’s a plot twist, you find things you weren’t looking for. Had lunch at this neat industrial style restaurant Delikatesy.Esencja. Minimalistic traditional menu with food focused on seasonality and freshness.

Small plate Pork neck in gravy with dill sprinkled mashed potatoes and a carrot salad.
The drink was freshly squeezed Grapefruitade – I made that word up but it was basically like a lemonade but with grapefruit.

Too early for vodka but that would make an excellent refreshing summertime beverage.

Hipsters with patterned sweaters and skinny jeans were climbing over each other to get in here.
The food display had that Ikea simplicity.
Delicious.

Walking through the streets you find the most random things. Take this advert for a buger place that you can bring your own wine to:

It’s funny, we get it, we’re adults right and this is a joke. In Canada I’m pretty sure this place would not be allowed to advertise like this.
Ridiculous – not allowed. Also written in English not Polish. This area was not a tourist hotspot so that was interesting.

Castle/churches popping up through the city landscape everywhere.

17th / 18th century architecture that stops you in your tracks. The original photo I took had showed the full smashed up minivan you see in the corner in it.
Should have kept it that shot what a contrast between old awesome and old tacky lol.

It was a rainy, drizzly day but still warm so we continued with our list of places to go. Jewish Cemetery.
This is going to come out wrong but I have a huge appreciation for Cemetery’s, especially ones that began in the 17th century.
The thing that drew us to go see this one was the promise of eery toppled over columns covered in moss and roughage.
Straight out of the hobbit. Also of interest was the famous tomb of a gentleman who volunteered to take the children to the gas chamber keeping them laughing and at ease the whole way there.
That seems awful but he couldn’t bear to see the way the soldiers handled it and the children’s level of terror and hysteria.
This was his effort in a situation that had no happy ending. They trusted him, held his hand and went quietly without fear.
Did not find this gravesite. This place is massive and if you don’t kow where you’re going EXACTLY forget it.
Tours are available, probably worth it here.

The money people put into their impending resting sites is incredible. Some had mini castles tombs.

Others were more simple.

So many were as a result of the war.

The details carved into stone were fascinating.
I imagined this lady’s request to her engraver, and I want a skull and an angel and a ribbon of flowers and a fern leaf on a jagged boulder…
Clearly these statues are some form of status.

Have made a silent promise to look into this further.

This one actually stops you in your tracks.

The person who carved or chipped this into shape was truly an artist – circa mid 1800’s.

As we walked through I realized there were no sign of the Star of David which brought me to the conclusion the driver had taken us to the wrong Cemetery.
But from the time I walked in I felt I had been here before, 30 years ago, for my Grandfather’s funeral.

Not positive but the familiarity and the feeling say this is where he is. So I put a thank you out there to all those who rest here for creating these beautiful works of art and a heartfelt you are missed to my Dziadjo.

That was the day – poof gone. That’s why planning stuff out is good.
The more the better because if you can’t do one thing it’s good to have an option for something else.
Waste no time – this is not a beach vacation.

…and had a good cry with the waitress you see in the background.
Everyone is so genuine, a casual conversation about what is there to see in Krakow lead to some heartfelt memories.
People here have all been affected by a history so fraught with sadness and pain yet they continue to make a point of honoring their heritage and speaking with a softness that melts your heart.